Steve Davis says he switched to 4-4-2 formation to get more bodies forward.

Crewe Alexandra boss Steve Davis has told the club’s official web-site that he changed the playing system to 4-4-2 against Sheffield United on Saturday to encourage more bodies to get forward. Steve handed Callum Saunders his first league start as a partner to the towering Marcus Haber.

Crewe won the game 1-0 thanks to Ryan Colclough’s controlled volley and Davis believes that the winning goal came from having those extra bodies in the opposition penalty area. Oliver Turton’s cross into a crowded penalty was only half cleared and Colclough dispatched his left foot volley with great technique.

Steve told the club’s official web-site: “I decided to go with the extra forward to get us up the pitch quicker and to get more bodies in the box.

“I just wanted to try something different and give Marcus some extra help up there. It helped us get more bodies up there in support of him and Callum ran the channels intelligently.The goal came about because of it. Turts cross was played into the box and because there were a lot of bodies in there the defender could only half clear it and Ryan showed great technique with his volley to keep it down.

“4-4-2 is a basic way of the playing but if played in the right way it can be really effective as well. They all worked hard at it during the week and we were focussed on what we wanted to do.

“Nigel (Adkins) was complimentary about us after the game. We said he had watched a number of our games and said that we had been playing well. He said our main strength was the ability to keep the ball and he was worried that in periods of the game, that we would have possession and make changes.

  He added: “He asked us if going with the extra striker was anything to do with them and we were honest with them and said we had done for own sake and trying to make us more dangerous.”